April 21, 2012 Letter From Hermana DeLong

Dear Familia,

This is my first email to you! Oh my goodness I am so excited to write you. I didn't think I was going to be able to write today but, my District Leader said it was okay. So here I am. Anyways. The MTC is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. The first day was good. We just had a lot of registration and orientations. Then we went to class where we met out teacher, erman etzel. She rarely speaks in English and it's kind of frustrating sometimes. The second day was incredibly hard. I mean, I cried so much that day it was crazy. I just get so frustrated with myself because I don't know anything that the teachers are saying. It is really hard. I know I've said that a lot but it's true. It's fun too though! My companion is a lot of fun, and she really smart. I love her. We are going to be best friends before we leave.

The third day, which was yesterday, we had to teach our first investigator in spanish. They are telling us that he isn't an actor, but we think he is. It was really hard to teach him because we don't know espanol. AT ALL. So we had a lot of spanglish going on. It was so cool though, we got him to PRAY for us! It was so spiritual, and I felt the spirit so strong. I didn't understand all he said, but I know that he blessed us, and said he was thankful we were there. Now it's the fourth day and we have a half p-day so we did some laundry and are going to go eat lunch after. Every time we go to the classroom or the lunch room or anything we have to be in missionary dress, so we are getting sack lunches so we don't have to change out of jeans.

ordan, I got your letter. Thanks for filling me in on everything. Give baby yan a kiss for me, I can't believe you let him fall into the pool! BAD MOM! hahaha just kidding. en! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CINNAMON ROLLS! I was freaking out because I got a package, Hermana illiams and I both got packages yesterday, which was the first day we got mail. (She is my companion.) MOM! I got your letter too. You did such a good job getting it to me all by yourself! I hope you and Dad are having a good time in Texas, most of the missionaries in my district (which is my class, there are ten of us 6 elders and 4 hermanas) are going to Dallas Texas. I miss you all so much, and I try really hard not to think about it, because it makes me sad. Every minute of my day is planned, there is never a time where I am wondering what to do, and I like that. It is also kind of frustrating. We have to prepare talks in espanol for sunday sacrament meeting. They pick people at random.. sorry, by revelation, whatever. haha It's muy dificulte. I'm going to just pray my heart out though, and it will be good.

Ummm... let's see the food is good, lots of carbs and lots of sitting means LOTS of fat missionaries! haha I am actually really sore from gym. We have ran two miles in the past two days and I am not used to exercise. BOO.

Funny story, so the day before yesterday I was walking out of immunizations and I just used the restroom, and my skirt got stuck inside of my underwear! Can you say EMBARRASSING?! I didn't notice it, Hermana erkley (a sister in my district did) but I was walking around like that for a good 5 minutes.So, lesson learned be careful with your skirt.

Right now there is a bug going around the MTC and they don't want us to shake hands, give hugs, or high five each other. So we are bumping elbows with each other. It's pretty funny. But I guess it helps to reduce people getting sick. I hear if you get the flu, you get quarantined. THAT would suck.

Well, everyone I love you all. Please write me letters on DEAR ELDER or send me letters in the mail. When we got mail for the first time yesterday, I was so happy I almost shed tears of joy. It was the best part of my day. BESIDES getting ateo (Our investigator) to pray. We are teaching him again tonight at 6:30 so if you get this before then, make sure you are praying for us. Because we will need it.

Mom- if you could send more hangers to NYC in the box with the sheets and stuff that would be awesome. I should've taken all the hangers we had. Also, if you want to send me snacks or something that would be appreciated. I was also thinking I could use my pink water bottle. I carry water around everywhere and I don't want to spend all my cash on the vending machines. Other than that, I don't think I need anything. All I REALLY need is to learn spanish. But that will come with time.

Nos vemos! - (See you later!)

Con amor!

I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOO MUCH! The MTC is fantastically hard, but I love it. Keep writing me all the time!

Hermana DeLong

(PS ordan if you copy this to my blog with you make sure to erase just the first letter of all the names I write. I want to follow mission rules and that's part of it.)